From the Duke News Service

Aug. 2, 1999

Duke University will benefit from the proceeds of a $2.5 million trust established by alumnus John Koskinen and his wife, Pat, to support female student-athletes and to enhance the university's recreational and athletic facilities, President Nannerl O. Keohane announced Monday.

The Koskinens established a charitable lead trust which, over a 20-year period, is expected to generate $300,000 for the renovation and improvement of the soccer/lacrosse stadium, $1 million to assist with the construction and maintenance of Duke's new West Campus recreational facilities and more than $1 million to establish the John and Patricia Koskinen Scholarship Endowment fund to support female student-athletes. In honor of their generosity, the refurbished soccer stadium will be named the John and Patricia Koskinen Stadium in a ceremony Sept. 26.

Koskinen, who chairs President Clinton's Council on 2000 Conversion and is a former deputy director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, is past chair of Duke's Board of Trustees and current chair of the newly created Athletics Advisory Board. In 1997, he was recognized as the top trustee in America by the Association of Governing Boards. He also was instrumental in bringing World Cup soccer to the U.S. He earned his B.A. in physics from Duke in 1961 and his L.L.B. from Yale University in 1964.

Keohane noted the Koskinens' gift will benefit many areas of the university.

"John and Pat have always appreciated the importance of excellence in both our academic and athletic programs," she said. "This latest gift to support scholarships for women athletes and to help modernize the university's student recreational and athletic facilities is but the latest example of their devotion to Duke. It is most fitting that our soccer stadium will be named for them."

Improvements to the stadium, which hosts Duke's men's and women's soccer and lacrosse programs, will be made in stages, beginning with a new scoreboard. Other enhancements include new restrooms, a press box and a meeting room. Keohane identified financial aid for students, as well as improvement of Duke's athletic and recreational facilities, as being among her top priorities when she assumed the Duke presidency in 1993.

The Koskinens' gift will endow two new annual scholarships for Duke student-athletes. Duke currently is able to offer about 210 athletic scholarships in 16 of its 26 varsity sports, but only about 31 are supported by an endowment. Each scholarship costs approximately $33,000 annually and covers tuition, room, and board and other expenses. (Because Duke is a private institution, it does not have access to state support, which reduces the annual cost of an athletic scholarship at state universities in the Atlantic Coast Conference.)

In the next five years, the university plans to add another 34 new scholarships for which fund-raising is underway as part of the athletic department's portion of the $1.5 billion Campaign for Duke.

"Duke will always be a special place for my family and me," John Koskinen said. "It not only possesses a vibrant, exciting spirit, but also has a sense of warmth and caring that sets it apart from other institutions. Pat and I are pleased to be able to support the university's efforts to provide first-class recreational and athletic facilities for its students, and to assist female student-athletes in their pursuit of a unique academic and athletic experience."

Duke athletic teams achieved NCAA Final Four berths in five sports this past year. The university finished seventh in the 1998-99 NCAA Division I Sears Directors' Cup standings, which are based on a school's results in all intercollegiate sports. Duke led all nine Atlantic Coast Conference schools, and was the highest finish ever for Duke.

In just its fourth year of existence, Duke's women's lacrosse team advanced to its first Final Four in the 1999 NCAA Championships. The men's lacrosse team made its sixth NCAA appearance and earned its first ever NCAA Tournament first-round bye in 1999.

The men's soccer team concluded its 1998 season with an 18-4 overall record and a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The women's soccer team enters its 12th season this year with seven NCAA Tournament appearances, including an appearance in the 1992 national championship game.

The Koskinens' gift also supports student recreation. Recreational facilities are a key component of Duke's new residential plan to provide students with healthy diversions from their studies. The $20 million Wilson Center, which will be dedicated in October, will give students round-the-clock access to a large recreational space dominated by a new three-court gymnasium.

"Pat and John's generosity will go a long way toward Duke's goal of being the best both academically and athletically," said Athletics Director Joe Alleva. "Their support of our athletes, and their special interest in women's sports, will help us continue to set the pace nationally for competitive teams, and provide our students with the facilities necessary for their success in the classroom and on the playing field."

The Koskinens have two children. Their son, Jeffrey, graduated from Duke in 1995.

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